CRAP stands for Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity. These stand for the four principles of design.
Contrast is good…it attracts the eye. Contrast is the difference between medium blue and dark blue, for instance. Go bold or go home.
Is there a theme or brand running through your site? If so; take that color, logo, shape, line thickness, etc and repeat it throughout to organize and unify. Be careful not to overdue to the point of becoming boring.
Nothing should be put on your page randomly. Pick a side….alignment, that is. You really should try not to use more than two alignment styles. Envision an invisible line running down the page. Alignment doesn’t just apply to text either.
Like or similar items should be group close-by to each other to create one visual unit. It reduces a cluttered look, and organizes the page. Keep in mind what you want the reader’s eye to look at. You don’t want their eyes darting all over the page, which it will without proximity.
More Information:
http://carsonified.com/blog/
http://www.associatedcontent.
http://jusshar.etsy.com
http://jusshardesigns.
http://www.facebook.com/
5 comments:
Thanks, Beth.
Great post.
Thanks for all your tips and info!
As I'm in the process of starting my own interactive design and development agency after years of web and traditional advertising experience, I'd love to add my 2 cents here. I agree that making a highly creative design that follows design fundamentals can captivate a viewer and get their attention. I know firsthand that this is just one key component in having a successful blog. Though, one of the things I see people struggle with most often is creating a concept for their sites. As a consumer, I want to know what the big idea is behind the brand you're creating for your products? Your design should capture the essence of your brand. Otherwise, blog designs are just stylized skins that have nothing to do with the brand or products. In my opinion, a concept, a clear value proposition of what the audience will find on your site and obvious calls-to-action within the design is by far the most critical part of any site design. Otherwise, I suggest to my clients a minimalist themeforest or templatemonster template as an alternative so that your content and products shine through without distraction of a design that doesn't match.
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